The Women of the French Salons

CHAPTER II.

THE HOTEL DE RAMBOUILLET Mme. De Rambouillet--The Salon Bleu--Its Habitues--Its Diversions--Corneille--Balzac--Richelieu--Romance of the Grand Conde--the Young Bossuet--Voiture--The Duchesse de Longueville--Angelique Paulet--Julie d'Angennes--Les Precieuses Ridicules--Decline of the Salon--Influence upon Literature and Manners

CHAPTER III.

MADEMOISELLE DE SCUDERY AND THE SAMEDIS Salons of the Noblesse--"The Illustrious Sappho"--Her Romances--The Samedis--Bons Mots of Mme. Cornuel--Estimate of Mlle. De Scudery

CHAPTER IV.

LA GRANDE MADEMOISELLE Her Character--Her Heroic Part in the Fronde--Her Exile--Literary Diversions of her Salon--A Romantic Episode

CHAPTER V.

A LITERARY SALON AT PORT ROYAL Mme. De Sable--Her Worldly Life--Her Retreat--Her Friends--Pascal-- The Maxims of La Rochefoucauld--Last Days of the Ma